Age is no barrier to playing croquet - just ask Port Macquarie Croquet Club's three oldest active members.
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Olive Bowly, 90, Frank Urban, 90, and 91-year-old Janet Fischer play the game regularly and enjoy the social aspect too.
Mrs Bowly took up croquet at age 88 after swapping the Gold Coast for Port Macquarie.
She had previously played golf on a nine-hole course.
"The game is fun and it's quite strategic," Mrs Bowly said about croquet.
"I'm not ever going to be a gun croquet player but I always enjoy it and the company.
"I enjoy the company and the game in equal measures."
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Janet Fischer has played croquet for about 12 years.
"It's a good game for the elderly but it is a game for any age, really," she said.
Mrs Fischer describes croquet as a mental game as well as a social game.
"You get to meet some very nice people," she said.
Mrs Fischer also likes the club's Westport location with Hastings River views.
Frank Urban agrees: "You couldn't have a better site in the whole world, looking out over the water."
Mr Urban turned to croquet about seven years ago after he stopped playing tennis.
"It's a bit like chess because you have to work out what the next person and the one after are likely to do," he said.
The game has its competitive side, while the social aspect is part of the club's appeal.
Port Macquarie Croquet Club is one of about 70 croquet clubs across NSW and the ACT.
The club's history dates back to the 1950s.
A state government grant recently paved the way for a new irrigation system using stored reclaimed water to keep the courts in top condition.
The Port Macquarie club's membership stands at about 70 and new members are always welcome.
More information about Port Macquarie Croquet Club is available on the club's website.
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